Portable fuel dispenser



Jan. 18, 1944.

F. E. NEEF, JR

PORTABLE FUEL DISPENSER Filed Nov. 4, 1942 TTORNEY Patented Jan. 18, 1944 e 7 Frederick E.

Neei,'Jr., United States I .Detroit, Mich.

Army,

Application November 4, 1942, Serial No. 564,502

4 Claims. (o1. 221-430) I (Granted under theact of March 3,1383, amended April30, 1928; 370 o. e. 757) v The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to portablefuel compact dispensing unit including aninternal dispensers; and, more specifically, toa small combustion motor, a pump, and suction and discharge hose adapted to be used in military opera tions for filling small containers or motorized equipment directly from a large reservoir or tank h car of fuel.

It maybe explained thatin'the usev of such devices, a suction hose is extended from-the fuel dispensing unit into a tank car or other fuel sup ply and the engine and pump of the unit serve; J

to draw the fuel through the dispenser and deliver it under pressure through one or more disof the suction and discharge hose, and the motor cage is openat the bottom to permit the motor or fuel pump to be easily and quickly removed from the frame for repair or adjustment without the necessity of uncoilingthehose.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing attached to and forming a part of the present specification: y p i Fig.1 is a perspective viewof the present preferred embodiment of this invention, showing the manner in which the suction and discharge hose lines of the unit' are coiled within the'hose cage. 7

' Fig. 2 is a central sectional view thro'ugh the dispensing unit.

V The frame of the unit consists of two inverted U-shaped end members, each. comprising of a charge hose lines and dispensing nozzles; It will be understood, of course, that in operations of this character, it is essential that the. dispenser unit be suficientl'y small and compact and of light weight so that itmay be easily moved from place to place manually, as well as by poweryand also that it is essential thatthe unit be soqconstructed as to'be extremely rugged and not subject to acci-' dental damagedue "to roughhandling or other physical-abuses. Further, it will be understood joined at their upper ends by a pair of side carrying rails 13 and at their lower ends bya pair or horizontal carrying rail and two vertical corner posts l2 extending downwardly from the carrying rail to the ground; The and frames are base rails M; The base rails I4 are joined by a pair of motor support rails l5v spacedinwardly that'in any type rof equipment'used in military operations there is considerable likelihood of damage'by impacts during loading or unloading operations; and, it is, thereforagdesirable to have well protected; against accidental damage.

It is, accordingly, the principal obj'ectof the a lpresent' inventiontmprovide a light, compact portable fuel dispensing unit, including a fuel pump and internal combustion engine, together with a frame and hose cage arranged to surround the pump and engine and to provide these parts 7 with maximum protection from external impacts.

theessential mechanisms ofthe device, namely, j the internal combustion engine and fuel pump,"-

from one end of the frame and'a pair of pump support-rails I6 spaced inwardly from the opposite end of the frame. These rails 15 and l 6 serve to support aninternal combustion engine I! and a liquid fuel pump- I8 as 'will appear more fully hereinafter. i

As thus far described,the frame is ofgenerally rectangular. configuration, having corner posts at each of its corners-and a continuous, generally irectangular carrying rail around itsupper edge, consisting. of the end rails H and the side rails [3, so that the entiredevice may be easily lifted manually, and shifted fromplace to place.

It maylbedncidentally pointed out ;a1so that although the lower base rails Mare at the outer extremities of the frame, the cross rails. l 5'and l6 are spaced inwardly fromrthe ends so that some clear space is provided immediately below the end 1 .A further objectof the invention is the provision of a portable fuel dispensing unit, including a frame structure arranged to include mar-' ginal hand rails to facilitate manual carrying orshiftingof the unit, and also arranged to include an internal motor cage surrounded byan exter- ,nal hose cage sothat the coils 'of hose will surround the motor and pump,, and offer protection to these mechanisms.

maximum carrying rails l I." This-isnot an essentialfeature of the inventionybut it is of some valuein that it permits easy removal of the motorand pump from the frame, and also in that it provides for more convenient carrying of the. 'deviceby the A further object of the invention resides in the I provision of a portable fuel dispensing'unit as described above, wherein the hose cage is open at the top to permit easy removal or replacement walking pace. The frame-structure 'smallrectangular motor cage located. inthe central part of the framejust. described and arranged and rails H, so that'when the deviceis so carried there is no structure to interfere with thenatural also includes a relatively to enclose and give protection to the internal combustion motor and. fuel pump of the device. The

- motor cage also cooperates with the main frame the pump J believed to to define an open-topped rectangular hose chan- V nel in which the suction and discharge hose lines of the device may be coiled. The motor cage consists, in general, of two end frames 2| joined by top rails 22 spaced apart by a cross rail 23. Each of the end frames 2| includes a horizontal top portion, vertical corner posts extending downwardly from the top portion, and a horizon,- tal section 25 extending angularly outwardly to one of the corner posts l2 of the main: frame.

The motor cage also includes a pair of generally opposite ends of the rails, the sections 26 extending downwardly a distance equivalent to the;

' downward extent ofthe sections 24, and then U-shaped side elements having inside vertical sec- 1 tions 26 secured to the side rails 22 between the flcation without departing from the spirit of this application as defined by the appended claims. Having thus described my invention, what i claim. as new and desire to secure by United States'Ietters Patent is:

1. In a portable fuel dispenser, in combination, fuel dispensing devices including an internal combustion engine, a fluid pump coupled to 'said engine, together with suction and discharge hose lines coupled to said fluid pump: said devices being mounted on a frame consisting of a marginal top rail, vertical corner posts, and a base comprising longitudinal and trans- .verse'rails; together with a motor cage consisting of a rectangular marginal top rail and verti v. cal corner posts, said motor cage being smaller curving outwardly to form a horizontal section I 21 and upwardly into a vertical outside side rail 28. The side rail 28 is in a1ignment between the corner posts l2 of the outside frame and its upper end curves inwardly-as indicated at 29,

. where it is joined to the midpoint of one of the t'o bear firmly against the side rails'28- of the than the "aforementioned frame and centrally located therein; horizontal rails interconnecting said cage and said frame, and a central side rail secured to the mid-point of the top rail on each side of the frame, each side rail extending outwardly,,downwardly, and inwardly to the cage,

.the cage and vframe defining an open-topped,

generally rectangular hose channel of length in excess of its width and of a maximum width in excess of the spacing of the top rails of the 7 frame, so that the loops of hose coiled within said hose channel will bearagainst central side rails of theframe and so that the resiliency of the hose will urge the hose into pressure engagement with said vertical side rails and thus maintain the hose in coiled position within the aforementioned channel, the arrangements being such thatthe fuel dispensing mechanisms withframe. The rails 28 thus will act as side limits to maintain the hose entirely withinthe con-,

fines of the 'outer frame of the mechanism and the tendency of the hose lines to exert pressure against the side rails 28 is utilized to maintain the hose in position in the frame by curving the upper'ends of the frame inwardly at '28 so that the hosewill be secured below the siderails I3. Thus the hosewill tend to be self- 'maintaining in the hose cage unless intentionally removed for use. Ifdesired, howeven retaining straps 33 may be stretched between the side rails rails |3 of the mainframe to tie the top loops of the hose and'prevent any shifting of the hose As hereinbefore pointed out, the coll ct hose to said engine,

tion,

in' thesaid motor cage are surrounded by the convolutions 0f vthe hose and thus protected against accidental damage.

.2. In a portable fuel dispenser, in combinafuel dispensing devices including an internal combustion engine, a fluid pump coupled together with suction and discharge; hose lines coupled'to said fluid pump;

' said devices being mounted on 7 a frame consisting of a marginal top rail, vertical corner posts, and a base comprising longitudinal and trans- "verse rails; together with a motor cage con- 22' of the motor cageand the side q around the internal combustion motor I! and 7 I II will protect the delicateparts (of the mechanisms against accidental damage;.but,

'at'the same time, the delicate .partsof the mechanisms are readily accessible for adjustment or repair by removing the hose from the hose channel, or by looseningthe motor and pump from the rails |5 or lijrespectively, and removing it for adjustment independent of the frame assembly.

From the foregoing vention, a fuel dispensing unit may be provided that combines the obvious advantages 1 of light weight, vrugged construction, and ease of ma..-

nipulation andoperation; together with ease of adjustment of theessential mechanisms of the unit. In these features the preferred embodiit will a. apparent that V bypractice of the teachings of the present insisting of a rectangular marginal top rail andvertical corner posts, said motor cage being smaller than the" aforementioned frame and centrally located therein; rails interconnecting said cage and said frame so that the cage and frame define an open-topped, generally rectangularho'se channel of length in excess of its width together with a strap extending between the top rail of the frameand thetop rail of the cage to secure the hose in coiled position within the aforementioned channel, the arrangement I being such that the fuel dispensing mechanisms.

within the said motor'cage are surrounded by the convolutions of the hose and thus protected against accidental damage.

3. A hose reel-comprising a frame consisting of a-marginal top rail, vertical corner posts, and

"a base comprising longitudinal and transverse rails; together with a cage consisting of a rectangular marginal top 'rail and vertical corner posts, said cage being smaller than the afore- V mentioned frame and centrally located-therein;

ment of the present invention illustrated in the ment of structures, but it is recognized-that the invention is capable of some variation and modidrawing accompanying this specification are represent the most desirable arrange H horizontal rails interconnecting said cage and said frame, and'a central side rail secured to the mid-point of'the top rail oneach sid'eoi' the frame, each side rail extending outwardly,

I downwardly, and inwardly to the cage, the cage and frame defining an open-topped, generally a base comprising longitudinal and transverse 3 rails; together with a cage consisting of a rectangular marginal top rail and vertical corner posts, said cage being smaller than the aforementioned frame and centrally located therein, the cage and frame defining an open-topped, generally rectangular hose channel of length in excess of its width, so that loops of hose may be coiled within said hose channel, together with a strap extending between the top rail of the frame and the top rail of the cage to secure the hose in the channel. I

FREDERICK E. NEEF, JR. 

